Metallic packing.



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No. 706,290. Patented Aug. 5, |902.

A. J. ZWART.

METALLIC PACKING.

(Ap 1i catxonled Mar. 5, 1901.)

y (No Mudel.)

itl-Tran STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. ZWART, on CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

lVl ETALLIC PACKING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. P206,290, dated August5, 1902.

Application filed March 5, 1901. Serial No. 49,878. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it viv/(ty concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT J. ZWART, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of Chicago, county of Cook, State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Metallic Packing, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such aswill enable others' skilled in the art to which it appertains to makeand use the same, reference being had to the accompany" ing drawings,forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a sectionalview through my improved metallic packing. Fig. 2 is an elevational viewof the outer face of the packingcase, showing position of the stud-holesand the rod in section. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 are detail sectional viewsshowing the movement of the metallic wearing-rings through the variousbores of vthe vibrating cup as they wear in service. Figs. 6, 7, and Sare sectional views showing the effect of rod vibration hitherto on themetallic wearing-rings which it is desired to obviate. Fig. 9 is asectional view of my improved metallic packing as applied to rods havingenlarged Vdiameter at the cross-head t. Fig. 10 is a sectional view,partly in elevation, certain of the parts being broken away to moreclearly illustrate the wearing-ring. Figill is an elevational View ofthe follower-ring such as is illustrated in Fig. 9.

This invention relates to a new and useful improvement in metallicpacking for valvestems and piston-rods, the object being to so constructthe vibrating cup as to provide therein a succession of conical boressupplemented by a cylindrical bore for the purpose of producing inconnection with metallic wearing-rings working Within the vibrating cupand in conjunction therewith a steam-tight or air-tight joint for thepassage of reciprocating rods.

While my invention involves chiefly the construction of a vibrating cupin conjunction with metallic wearingrings,an important feature for thecontinued service of steam or air tight packing resides in theconstruction of the vibrating cupin such a manner as to eX- tend beyondthe third ring, so as to admit entrance of the follower, as illustrated,which latter shall at the beginning and at all times during servicesnugly iill the annular space between the rod and the inner wall of thevibrating cup through a section of the latters cylindrical bore.

Another object is to so construct the packing that it may be applied toa'rod having an enlarged end for its fit into the cross-head or otherconnection ,the packing proper of necessity being iitted ro that part ofthe rod having a smaller transverse section than such enlargeddiameter.

Vith these objects in view the invention consists in the construction,arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my device, ally aswill hereinafter be described an'd'afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, A indicates the rod (having in Fig. 9 an enlargeddiameter for the cross-head tit); B, the stuffing-box projection asusnallycast integral with the cylinderhead; C, the supplementarystuffing-box or packing-case, held in position against the face of thestuffing-box by means of studs through the bolt-holes() b, Fig. 2. f

D, Fig. l, represents the vibrating cup bored to produce theannularconically-bounded cavities d and d' Y andthecylindricallyboundedannular cavitydz, the face of the vibrating cup atits outer end with reference to the cylinder having a bearing againstwhat may be designated the bal1-ringE, which has d its. inner end facedtrue and ground against thelcontacting face of the vibrating cup for thepurpose of minimizing the resistance to the vibratory motion of the rodoffered by the bearing ofA the vibrating cup on this face and at thesame time preserving a steam-tight joint between the faces.

D', Fig. 9, represents a vibrating cup bored so as to admit the passageof the enlarged cross-head lit o, with a divided bushing e e, so as tobe properly introduced into position, said bushing fitting into thefront end of the vibrating cup.

1, 2, and 3 represent metallic wearing-rings, ring l being beveled onits outer face when initially applied at an angle to coincide with thecorresponding bore in the vibrating cup. Ring 2 has its front edgestarted into the vsmaller or foremost conical bore, while its outer walliits and coperates with the corresponding second conical bore in thevibrating cup, tapered at a considerably-reduced angle with reference tothe rod from the angle produced by the first conical bore. The bore ofthe vibrating cup beyond the second de- IOO rn L:

scribed conical bore is made cylindrical, and the rear edge of ring 2passes a short distance into this cylindrical bore. Ring 3 has a plainouier wall coinciding with but not completely filling the remaininglength of the cylindrical bore.

F, Fig. 1, represents a spring-pressed followery the transverse sectionof which snugly fills the annular section between the rod and remainingcylindrically-bored section of the vibrating cup. y

F', Fig. 9, represents a follower whose internal diameter is such as tobe easily introduced over the enlarged diameter-ot of the rod A and thesplit liner-blocks ff, fitting within the follower F', Fig. 9, beingshouldered therein and bearing against the rod.

The usual spring G is employed to maintain a forward thrust by thefollower and upon the rings 1,2, and 3 to force them'into the cones, thecompression of said spring be- 'ing between the follower' F and theprojectionwiihin the stufling-box of the cylinderhead casting l-I.

I represents Aa stuiiing-box bushing for the purpose of reducing thebore of the stuffingbox B when necessary to serve as a back member tothe follower.

Piston-rods have heretofore been packed with metallic wearing-ringsseated within and coperating with the vibrating cup, and in consideringthe improvement sought after it may be explained that (a) owing-to thehigh :cream-pressures of the present day and (b) lhe excessive rodvibration due to excessive wear of the cross-head connection betweenreciprocating parts conditions are encounwrwl which it is the purpose ofmy invention t lo elTectively surmount.

(a) Under high steam-pressures referred to the forward thrust of thefollower F upon the metallic wearing-rings 1, 2, and 3 has heretoforebeen great enough to produce a severe wedging ellect of the rings in thecone or vi brating cup, resulting in an excessive frictionand.consequent wear at thel inner bearing-face of ring l on the rod and anequivalent rapid deterioration of the rings. This wedging elect may bereduced by increasing the angle at which the conical bore in thevibrating cup D ascends from the rod; but it is obvious that the greaterthe angle thus employed the greater will be the circle to which theconical bore d will extend over the rod, and consequently the greaterwill be the outside diameter of the vibrating cup; but the extent towhich the vibrating cup may thus be enlarged is limited by the'diameterof the circle on which the stud-bolts at b b are placed bytheengine-builder. There are therefore Vfixed limitations which must beconsidered inv securing asuitable construction of vibrating cup.l Withthis limitation as to available diameter explained a secondconsideration is :to obtain a taper in the cone which at the greatestdiameter permissible under the restriction noted above will permit ofring 2 entering the conical cavity d simultaneously with its occupationby ring 1 without reducing the available width of conical cavity d forthe insertion of ring l to a suitable width, permitting also of suchproportionatewidth of rings l, 2, and 3 in their relation to each otheras will be found necessary by further reference to their operationhereinafter. I employ, therefore, a conical bore d and further reducethe tendency of forward feed of ring 2 upon ring l by a second conicalbore d', the angle at which said tapers are made being estimated toproduce an outside diameter of the vibrating cup practically to theextent of and within the limits prescribed. Rings l, 2, and 3 are madeup in sections, a

' space being left between the contiguous ends thereof, these sectionsbreaking joints with each other.

Referring to Fig. 3, the steam-tight contact between the faces of rings1 and 2 and the steam-tight joint effected between the periphery of bothwithin the same conical bore d is supplemented afterashort service byasimilar contact and bearing between rings 2 and 3 within conical bored', as in Fig. t, it being estimated that the wear of the internaldiameters of the rings in their initial position, as

in Fig. 3, will be such as at first to permit of a rapid conformity oftheir bearing-surfaces to the surface of the rod and consequent rapidinitial movement into smaller sections of the cones, coincident withwhich the contiguous IOS ends of the two sections of ring l will have Vabuttedy each other, thereby producing in ring l a closed or solidAarch'bearing on its outer wall against the abrupt taper of cone CZ asafurther resistance and lessening the susceptibility of ring l to thefollowing thrust of rings 2 and 3. In this condition the jamming or flowof metal of rings l, 2, and 3 in their heated or semifused stateproduces the continued steam-tight joint on the rod with a minimum Wedgeof friction upon the rod.

Referring now to Fig. 5, my previous reference to proportionate widthbetween the rings is obvious. Ring 2 is represented entirely withinconical bore d with ring 3 having also practically entered to form itssteamtight contact in the same cone against the joints of contiguousends of the two sections of ring 2 and a similar contact between theirperiphery and conical bore cl, this simultaneous occupation of conicalbore d having ensued prior to the possibility of ring 1 by its entiredisappearance having left exposed a possible open joint at the ends ofthe two sections of ring 2. At this period in the service anotherplain-faced ring corresponding in size and shape to ring 3 willnecessarily be introduced within the cylindrical bore of the vibratingcup in advance of the follower.

(b) In regard to the eect of rod vibration I have made use ofillustrations in Figs. 6, 7, and 8 to :represent the eect of samehitherto on metallic wearing-rings'. l When rings 1, 2, and 3 are newand first placed in service,

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they practically bear at all points against the contiguous conical boresand surface of the rod. Under conditions of locomotive service largelypredominant and of comparatively recent development the vibration of therod in deliveringits impact to the metallic wearing-rings effects abattering-out or enlargement of their internal diameter, particularly ofrings 2 and 3, as shown in Fig. 6, so that steam may follow along therod and find egress between the ends of the split ring 1. If themovement of rings 2 and 3 is inward upon the rod, as shown in Fig. 7,then although the space immediately around the rod (shown in Fig. 6) maybe closed it follows that a corresponding space is unoccupied betweenthe outer walls of the rings and the cone of the vibrating cup, so thatsteam still has admission to the split of ring 1 and thence to theatmosphere. Another and subsequent position of the rings is shown inFig. 8, wherein ring 1 has been forced forwardly, the front edge beingcrowded in upon the 4rod so as to cause said ring to occupy practicallyacanted position, the wear being greatest at the front inner facethereof. Under this condition rings 2 and 3 will naturally follow, andwhile they more nearly fill the space between the vibrating cup and therod, Fig. 8, yet the vibration of the rod will batter the rings so as toform a leakage, particularly along the inner surface of ring 3, thesteam escaping through this path along the rod and through the openjoints between the segments of ring 2 up to and around the periphery ofthat portion of ring 1 situated in the second cone and around to thesplits of ring 1 and out to the atmosphere. These conditions have beenfound to exist in actual service, and it is the purpose of my presentinvention to obviate the same, producing a packing which shall be steamtight when initially introduced and at all times thereafter in service.To prevent the impact upon the metallic wearing-rings of the rod in itsvibration, I extend the cylindrical bore of the vibrating cup beyondring 3, so as to provide a cylindrically-bounded annular space betweenthe rod and inner wall of the vibrating cup as a path for the forwardringcompressing movement of the follower F. By such adaptationV of afollower close litting to the rod and with similar contact with theinner wall of the vibrating cup the lateral thrust of the rod in itsvibration is delivered directly to the follower thus closely confinedand thence to the vibrating cup without the intervention of the softrings. The entire packing, therefore, follows the rod in its vibratorymotion, obViating the disturbance of the steam-tight fit of the metallicwearing-rings between the rod and Varying bores of the vibrating cup,itbeing understood that the follower is of brass or other metal notsusceptible under the conditions to the battering effect of thevibration in question.

An additional feature of the efficiency arising from my constructionexists in the fact that the succession of conical bores described, whichpermits of following metallic wearingrings entering always fullsectioned into reducing-cones in their forward path, (shown in Fig. 4,)thus distributing the ywedging impact upon the rod over a greaterlength` of bearing-surface thereof, offers greater resistance to thepassage of water. This is important from the fact that the liability ofwater reaching the forward or ring 1 is reduced, eliminating thereby orreducing the liability of injury to the internal bearingsurface of ring1 through the forced passage of such water. In special cases (where thelimitations hereinbefore referred to as to diameter permissible for avibrating cup eX- ternally may be increased) my construction would covera succession of two cones or more with a final cylindrical bore in thevibrating cup. In vertical stationary steamengines and marine engines,where this leakage of water is particularly objectionable, theopportunity for an increased diameter of Vibrating cup is sometimesobtainable.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

l. The combination with a piston-rod or yvalve-stem and packing-casetherefor, of a single vibrating cup containing a plurality of conicalbores and one final cylindrical bore, wearing-rings within saidbores,the combined length of said rings being less than the combinedlength of said bores, and a follower snugly fitting between said rod andthe interior circumference of said cylindrical bore and longitudinallymovable therein; substantially as described.

2. The combination with a piston-rod or valve-stem and packing-casetherefor, a vibrating cup, and a wearing-ring in said cup, of a followerfitting about said rod and in said cup and bearing snugly and directlybetween said rod and the interior circumference of said cup, wherebysaid follower connects said rod and cup and causes them to move togetherduringy the vibration ofsaid rod; substantially as described.

The combination with a rod having an enlarged diameter at its extremityand a packing-case therefor, of a vibrating cup having a split bushing,said vibrating cup being bored to provide two or more conically-bounded,and one cylindrically-'bounded conical cavities around the rod, metallicwearingrings, a combination sliding face and ballseated ring, afollower, a spring, and a stuffing-box bushing against which saidfollower bears; substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 1st day of March, 1901. l

ALBERT J. ZWART.-

Witnesses:

WM. H. Scorri, GEORGE BAKEwnLL.

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